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Exotic
plants
can
cause
many
of
the
most
serious
weed
problems
in
lakes
and
ponds.
Exotic
plants
are
plants
that
are
not
native
to
this
area,
which
have
been
brought
to
the
area
inadvertently.
Because
they
often
have
few
natural
enemies
(their
pests,
pathogens,
etc.
may
not
have
come
over
with
them)
therefore,
they
grow
out
of
control.
When
exotic
plants
such
Eurasian Watermilfoil
and
Curlyleaf
pondweed
invade
a
lake,
they
often
form
extensive
dense
populations,
crowd
out
native
species
and
reduce
the
quality
of
habitat
for
other
organisms.
Eurasian
Watermilfoil
is
an
exotic
plants
in
Michigan,
meaning
it
is
not
a
native
species.
Its
origin
has
been
traced
to
the
Hudson
Bay
area
during
the
late
1940's.
However,
because
it's
not
a
native
species,
milfoil
has
few
natural
controls.
By
midsummer
it
can
form
mats
so
dense
it
restricts
swimming,
boating
and
fishing.
Eurasianmilfoil
can
reproduce
by
seed
and
fragmentation.
A
small
piece
or
fragment
of
the
plant
can
form
roots
and
develop
into
a
new
plant.
A
single
wisp
can
multiply
into
250
million
new
plants
in
one
year!!!
Boaters
can
help
prevent
the
spread
of
milfoil
and
other
aquatic
weed
species
by
removing
all
aquatic
weeds
from
the
trailer,
boat,
motor/propeller
and
anchors
before
leaving
an
infested
lake.
Studies
have
shown
that
dried
milfoil,
after
being
out
of
the
water
for
a
week,
can
survive
if
re-submersed
in
water.
Therefore,
the
weekend
boater
can
unintentionally
infect
lakes
with
these
aquatic
weeds
if
they
are
not
removed
from
the
trailer
and
boat.
Curly
Leaf
Pondweed
was
brought
to
North
America
sometime
between
the
middle
of
the
19th
century
and
1900
and
has
now
spread
throughout
many
parts
of
the
continental
U.S.
and
Canada.
This
species
usually
emerges
early
each
spring,
flowers
and
sets
seed
in
the
late
spring
and
early
summer,
and
then
collapses
by
the
first
week
in
July.
There
are,
however,
exceptions
to
this
pattern
regarding
juvenile
plants,
part
of
this
re-growth
community
can
occasionally
be
found
in
the
late
summer
or
early
autumn.
These
small
plants
are
capable
of
over-wintering
below
ice
cover.
Curly
Leaf
can
be a
severe
nuisance
during
the
early
part
of
the
peak
recreational
use
season.
Early
control
of
this
species
is
recommended
so
that
the
plant
is
not
allowed
to
produce
large
quantities
of
biomass
that
die
naturally
and
decompose
in
early
July
when
water
temperatures
and
the
potential
for
oxygen
stress
are
high.1
Early
treatment/management
is
also
encouraged
to
take
place
prior
to
seed
production.
Therefore,
reducing
the
next
generation
of
early
pondweed
growth.
1
Midwest
Aquatic
Plant
Management
Society
Leaders
Manual
For
a
complete
Aquatic
Plant
Identification
Guide:
Professional
Lake
Management
Customers
contact
us
for
a
complete
guide
(800-382-4434).
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